Istanbul Warning or Danger Tips by Geoff_Wright

The Highway Code!

My advice to anyone visiting Istanbul is not to drive yourself - unless you are used to the traffic here. I would not say that the drivers here are dangerous, but there is a huge traffic problem. Even where there are lane lines painted on the highway, drivers will begin to make additional lanes between other lines of slow-moving traffic. Taxis and mini buses tend to pull out from side roads in front of the main traffic flow, and also suddenly pull across in front of moving traffic in order to set down or pick up passengers. This causes vehicles in that lane to stop suddenly, and that traffic merely pulls out into the outside lane, in front of the moving traffic! The rule of the road is that traffic entering from the right usually has priority. The second rule is that he who sounds his car horn loudest and longest has the right of way (lol). I have to say that I quickly became accustomed to the way of driving, and although I might say it was usually erratic, I don't think driving conditions are actually dangerous - unless you are driving as a tourist!

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When sending post cards do find out the correct potage rates for the countries you are despatching them to. At one large Post Office I was told the fee for all of Europe was 300.000 TL (about 15 English pence ), and 750.000 (about 38 pence) for the Rest of the World. I believe the actual cost for Europe is 450.000. But then, is Russia classed as Europe?? :-)
Some smaller post offices only use franking machines, whereas in the larger offices you can purchase real stamps!

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